Governor endorses LuLu's law

April 9, 2025 – MONTGOMERY, AL - Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) shared her strong support for House Bill 437 (HB437) to establish a shark alert system under the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for beaches and shorelines in Baldwin and Mobile counties.

HB437 is sponsored by State Representative David Faulkner (R-Mountain Brook).

The bill is inspired by Mountain Brook teen Lulu Gribben. HB437 would enable Mobile and Baldwin County Emergency Management Agencies to warn individuals of a shark attack by providing for alerts to be sent to mobile cellular devices in localized areas and to first responders on duty.

"Officials in Baldwin and Mobile counties do fantastic work to keep Alabamians and our many visitors safe when they are down enjoying our beautiful beaches," said Governor Kay Ivey in a statement. "Establishing a shark alert system will be an added tool to keep those enjoying our Gulf of America waters safe. I thank Representative David Faulkner for bringing this legislation forward, and I commend Lulu Gribben and her family for inspiring positive change in our own state. Lulu is truly an inspiration and awesome example of courage. Let's be Lulu strong and get this bill to my desk so I can sign it into law!"

The alert system shall be activated when the Department receives a confirmed report of an unprovoked shark attacking an individual within close proximity to a shoreline or coastline.

The bill passed with a favorable report by the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security on Wednesday.

According to the synopsis, "This bill would establish a system under the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources through the Mobile and Baldwin County Emergency Management Agencies to warn individuals of a shark attack or unusual shark activity in waters near a beach or shoreline by providing for alerts to be sent to mobile cellular devices in localized areas and to first responders on duty. This bill would further provide for the assistance of other state departments and agencies and local first responder organizations in the development and operation of the shark alert system."

Miss Gribbin lost her leg and a hand in a shark attack while enjoying the waters off the Alabama Gulf Coast. Gribbin and her friend were diving for sand dollars. They saw the shark and were trying to out swim it when it attacked her. Somehow she kept fighting and managed to get away from the shark and not drowning despite losing a lot of blood. She was at the Statehouse on Wednesday to personally lobby legislators to pass the bill.

"My hand was bitten first. I remember just lifting it out of the water, and I was stunned because there was no hand there," Miss Gribbin told CBS News 42. "I couldn't feel it because of all the shock I was in. Then the shark latched onto my leg."

A shark had attacked another person just 90 minutes before the attack on Miss Gribbin.

The bill can now be considered by the full House of Representatives.

Similar legislation has been proposed by the Alabama Legislative delegation led by Senate sponsor Katie Britt (R-Alabama).